Bridal Veil Falls Adventure
When the world was falling apart in June 2020, I packed up my camera to experience an adventure for a day. Escaping the fraught times, I went somewhere new for me, Bridal Veil Falls near Heber Springs, Arkansas. I had recently started this blog and needed some material to get jumpstarted.
It was a beautiful June day for a drive. I arrived early to mid morning at the falls. Getting my gear together, I heard the falls before I saw them. The falls weren’t so loud as a a swollen stream crashing to the stream bed below. Instead, it was the soothing sounds of a stream gently falling over the cliff to splash on the cliff base then meandered its way downstream. I was alone in my venture. Apparently no one else had the same idea of escaping.
The view from above only allowed a partial glimpse of the falls. If I wanted to see more, I would have to make my way down to the rippling stream.
Backpack over my shoulder, I searched for a path to the stream. Once I found the way down, I realized I should have worn better hiking shoes instead of my water shoes. Nevertheless, I carefully stumbled over roots, rocks, and around boulders. Several times scrambling down the embankment, I had to catch hold of a tree or branch to steady myself. Roots and rocks scattered the downward trek making it difficult to traverse.
Once I finally made it down to the stream, I looked back toward the waterfall to see a majestic scene unfold before me. The overwhelmingly green of the tree leaves gave a sense of a tropical forest. The sound of the water colliding on the base of the cliff and subsequently flowing over the rocks made it feel tranquil and serene. It was though I had transported to another world.
The photos on this page show the progression as I moved closer to the falls. Some were taken with my trusty old Canon, while some were taken with my phone. I took my time plodding forward, immersing myself in the moment. The waterfall and the surrounding area held me enthralled by its beauty.
As I drew closer to the waterfall, I understood the reasoning behind naming it Bridal Veil Falls. With the lighter flow of water, the falls resembled a thin white, gossamer veil that a bride would wear to conceal her face.
The last few photos portrays how the sunlight and the falling water created a dancing effect in the photos. It wasn’t until I got home looking over the photos that I notified the effects. Of all the photos I took that day, the last photo is one of my favorites.
all photos © Kendall Boyd